The Hot Spring Incident
by demonluver821
Summary: Ichigo and her team decide to take a vacation to a hot spring. However, the person running it is Pai's sister, and she invited the aliens over on the exact same weekend! Pudding tries to set up her friends with Taru-Taru. Ichigo/Kisshu Lettuce/Pai
1. The Surprise

demonluver: Hello everyone! This is my second attempt at a series, and my first attempt on a series that doesn't have any S-E-X in it!

Ichigo: This is stupid...

demonluver: What? How is it stupid?

Kisshu: The plot's unoriginal, and you just suck at writing if it has more than two characters in a scene...

demonluver: Shut up! This is a test to see if I can get better!

Ichigo: It's gonna fail...

demonluver: Keep saying that and I'll up the rating...

Ichigo: Um... DEMONLUVER821 DOES NOT OWN TOKYO MEW MEW! Please have mercy on me... T.T

Kisshu: I still think this is gonna blow...

demonluver: Dude... you do know that you and Ichigo are gonna hook up in this story, right?

Kisshu: Really?

demoluver: Yes... just like in every single one of my Tokyo Mew Mew fanfics...

Kisshu: Read and Review!

* * *

"Hooray for Zakuro Onee-chan, na no da!" Pudding squealed. At the entrance to the Bakura Hot springs, Ichigo, Minto, Lettuce, and Zakuro came to a stop, while Pudding bounded up the steps. Laughing, she ran up the stairs, apparently heading for their room, leaving the others to take their time.

"Can you believe how lucky we are, though?" Ichigo asked. "This is where all sorts of celebrities come for vacations, and we get to come here ourselves!" She grinned.

"Hai." Lettuce heartily agreed. "We're lucky. Zakuro-san must be very rich to be able to afford this."

Ichigo nodded enthusiastically. "Hai!" She said happily. She gazed up in wonder at the large building and grinned. It was very beautiful, with large wooden doors leading into the steamy bath house, and smaller outdoor nude baths, which were separate between males and females.

"Ichigo Onee-chan! Hurry up!" Pudding shouted. Sighing, Ichigo ran up to catch up to her four friends.

"Hello girls." The group of Mews walked into the lobby to find a young woman, in her early 20s, smiling warmly at them.

"Konnichi wa..." Ichigo mumbled, a tad bit embarrassed.

"You must be Zakuro, and these are your friends, are they?"

Zakuro nodded solemnly. "Hai." She said, "This is Purin-san, Minto-san, Lettuce-san, and Ichigo-san, Ms. Mason."

"Ichigo-san?" The woman inquired, a hint of realization flashed in her eyes, but soon it was gone. Smiling again, she spoke, "I'd show you to your room, but my brother is going to be arriving shortly, and I would like to be here to meet him. Here," She dropped a key into Lettuce's outstretched hands. "Room 43." Waving them off, the five friends walked down the hall.

"Alright, Room 43..." Lettuce read off of the tops of doors. When she finally found the door, she stopped at the entrance and put the key in the lock.

Three figures appeared in the distance, a few hundred feet away from the building. The tallest one was wearing a white collared shirt with black pants. The shortest one had a white tank top with blue jeans, and the middle one, who seemed to be bent over due to carrying five suitcases, was wearing a black turtleneck sleeveless shirt with dark blue jeans.

"Why the hell did we come here in the first place?" Kish groaned, tired from carrying everyone's luggage. Pai glared at him before answering.

"Because, Kisshu, my sister owns this hot spring as an undercover base, and she asked us to pay her a well-deserved visit. And, I might add, she does a far better job at terrorizing Kyoto than we do Tokyo, you love-smitten fool."

Kish turned his head away, blushing. Tart laughed. "Baka!" He shouted, smirking at his partner's embarrassment. In response, Kish hit him on the head.

"Chibi brat..." He muttered. Looking away from his two companions, Kish glanced up at the large resort and sighed.\par

_'This had damn well better be worth it.'_ He thought as he entered the lobby of the Bakura Hot Springs.

"Megumi Onee-san?" The woman in question turned around and grinned at her younger brother.

"P-chan, it's been a while!" Tart began snickering at his eldest partner's nickname. Pai growled and bopped him upside the head. Tart rubbed it, still snickering.

"Everything gone according to plan?" Pai asked her. Kish walked slowly into the room, carrying everyone's luggage. His ears were drooping from the effort.

"Kisshu-kun!" A young girl shouted happily. His ears shot up. A blur of yellow hair hugged him tightly.

"Kisa... chan..." Kish strained. Kisa looked up happily.

"It's been forever, Onii-sama!" Kisshu smiled at his younger sister.

"Yeah..."

Megumi smiled. "Now that we're all aquatinted..." She said slowly. "Would you like me to give you the key to your room?"

Pai nodded. "It would be much appreciated, thank you very much." Megumi smiled at her brother's formality.

"You're just shy, arent'cha?" She asked, rubbing his head playfully. Pai groaned.

"Not... in front of... my comrades... please..." He said through his teeth. Megumi laughed.

"Hai, hai!" She pulled the keys out. "Room 44." Pai nodded as he took them and began to walk towards the door. "We've got to warn you, though." Pai, Tart, and Kish turned around. "A couple humans are staying in the room next to you. Just be careful, kay?"

Pai nodded. "Very well." He walked out of the room, with Kish and Taruto following.

"These beds are so nice, na no da!" Pudding squealed. She fell back and sighed happily.

Lettuce laughed. "These rooms are very nice, Zakuro-san." Zakuro nodded in response.

"Say," Ichigo piped up. "Why don't we go visit the hot springs, now that we're here!"

Minto shook her head. "No... I'd much rather stay here to finish my book..."

Zakuro nodded. "And I have to finish unpacking."

Pudding jumped up from the bed. "I'll go, na no da!" She shouted out.

Lettuce nodded. "I'll go as well." She stood up and opened the door. "Shall we go?"

Ichigo nodded. "Hai!" She and Pudding began to follow Lettuce.

Lettuce walked out into the hall and was about to head towards the bath house when someone carrying a bunch of towels bumped into her.

"Ah, gomen!" The man muttered. Lettuce looked at him curiously. He was carrying so many towels that she couldn't see his face.

"Um, it's all right, just be careful next time, and don't carry as many towels, okay?

The man shifted. "You're right." He bowed down. "Thank you for your kindness." The towels fell out of his hands.

Lettuce quickly knelt down to pick them up. The man did the same. "Oh my goodness! Here you go..." Lettuce looked up at the man and her eyes widened. "Kish!"

The green-haired alien looked up. "Fish-girl...?"

Pai walked out of room 44. "Kisshu! Do you have those towels yet...?" He trailed off as he saw the three Mews. "Kisshu... what the hell?"

The green haired alien waved his arms frantically. "Don't look at me! I'm just as surprised as you are!"

Pai growled slightly. "You are the 'humans' my sister warned us about?"

Lettuce blinked. "That was your... sister...?" Pai looked at her, expressionless.

"Yes. It's our time off, and she missed us all." Lettuce nodded, blushing slightly.

"It's an unexpected coincidence, isn't it?"

Pai looked away. "I am sorry to ruin your vacation." Lettuce stared at her with big eyes.

"I said that it was unexpected... not unpleasant..." Pai glanced in her direction, feeling a slight blush on his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Ichigo was giving Kish hell. "You have the NERVE to STALK me on VACATION?" She shouted, waving her arms frantically. "I finally get away from it all and I have to spend an entire WEEK with YOU?"

Kish tried desperately to prove his innocence and failed miserably. "Look Koneko, I had no clue you were gonna come to the same springs my cousins and sister were working at! I thought you were going to stay at your house and play old Backstreet Boys CDs like you always do!"

Ichigo did a double-take. "How do you know about my secret stash of Backstreet Boys CDs?" Kish cowered in a corner.

"I... heh heh... watched you one morning while you were dancing..." Ichigo screamed in frustration.

"WHY ME?"

Pudding and Tart looked at the couples all the while, Pudding with eager anticipation, and Taruto with a bored look on her face. Suddenly, Pudding turned to the youngest alien.

"We should set them up!" Tart's eyes widened.

"...the hell? That's a terrible idea!" Pudding shook her head.

"No way! Just look at them, they make great couples!" Taruto raised an eyebrow and looked at Pai and Lettuce, who were in an extremely awkward silence. He glanced at Kish and Ichigo, who were still in the middle of a heated argument.

"It's not as if you go to any lengths to hide your room from me like, oh, say, closing the curtains? I almost think that you want me to see you changing-"

"You've watched me change? You jackass! All I want is to cool down my bedroom and you always seem to watch me!"

"It's not my fault that you always leave the window open!"

"You shouldn't be there in the first place!"

Taruto sighed. "What the hell, let's do this." He told Pudding. "Just to see how it'll fail."

* * *

demonluver: Can't wait to find out what they're plan is!

Kisshu: Um... you're the writer...

demonluver: Oh yeah, right! I've got to think up their plan on my own! *starts typing*

Ichigo: Just please don't tell me it involves... *looks over demonluver's shoulder* ... a sharpie and a sheer bikini?

demonluver: Hehe... this is gonna be GREAT!


	2. An Unexpected Coincidence

demonluver: Wow! Two uploads in one day! I'm getting better at this!

Kisshu: Uh-huh, sure...

demonluver: Hey, why are you so depressed?

Kisshu: Because Ichigo hates me!

demonluver: Well duh! You have to fight for her love!

Ichigo: There is no way I am EVER falling in love with him!

demonluver: Ichigo, you stupid girl... I have the pen...

Ichigo: So what?

demonluver: It's mightier then the sword. Just watch. *writes something down*

Kisshu: *looks over demonluver's shoulder* "Ichigo jumps onto Kisshu's lap and kisses him longingly, hands roaming from his face to his chest and then down to his crotch..."

Ichigo: What the hell? I would never- *stops suddenly, then jumps on Kisshu*

demonluver: Hehe... I HAVE THE POWER! However, I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew, unfortunately, so I cannot actually make this happen...

Kisshu: I don't care! I'll settle for fanservice! *gets cut off by Ichigo kissing him again*

demonluver: Um... have fun, but just use protection people!

* * *

Ichigo stormed back into her room, fully prepared to pack her bags and take the first flight back to Tokyo. Kish, however, would have none of that.

"Come on kitten, this is as much a surprise to me as it was to you!" He grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Look at me..."

Ichigo shook her head angrily. "No way! You're the last person I want to look at right now!"

Kish shook her gently. "I. Did. Not. Mean. To. Upset. You." He said pointedly. Ichigo clenched her teeth in anger.

"You did anyway! I swear, you always manage to get me so pissed off, it's no wonder I-!" Kish cut her off with a swift kiss to the lips.

"You were saying?" He asked as he pulled away. Ichigo was slightly stunned, then pushed Kish away from her roughly.

"Leave me the hell alone!"

Meanwhile, Pudding and Tart were working steadily to put their plan to motion. "I've got mine." Pudding giggled, holding up a piece of paper.

Tart rolled his eyes, yet held up a bundle of clothing. "Got mine too."

Pudding giggled. "Now remember," She instructed, "you have to make sure Kish gets in first, so that Onee-san won't think he's a pervert!"

Tart sighed. "Why the hell did I agree to do this...?"

Pudding smiled. "Because you thought it would be funny, na no da!"

Tart nodded in agreement. "Erg... fine. Let's do this. Although I can't say I'll be happy about seeing Kish and Ichigo both naked..."

Kish was walking down the hallway away from Ichigo's room, cursing slightly under his breath. What the hell was that girl's problem? It was a complete accident that they happened to show up at the exact same place at the exact same time. Granted, Kish wasn't at all upset about what happened, he just wished that Ichigo would be a little less uptight.

"Kisshu-kun!" He jumped around to see his younger sister, Kisa, clinging to his leg. Kish laughed awkwardly.

"Um, Kisa? You couldn't hear any of what I was saying, right?" The younger girl tilted her head.

"Something about a 'son of a-'" Kish quickly covered her mouth.

"Yes, well, don't mention any of that to... Megumi, okay? I'd hate for her to think I was perverting your innocent mind..." Kisa laughed.

"It's okay, I won't tell!" She said happily, then she looked at him curiously. "Who was that girl from before? The red haired one who wouldn't stop screaming?"

Kish sighed and looked away sadly. "She's just... this human..." Kisa tilted her head.

"It looked like you really liked her..." Kish took in a deep breath.

"Kisa, you'll understand once..." He looked down. "You'll understand once you fall in love with someone who refuses to have you..."

Kisa quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you said if that happened you would 'kick their a-'" Kish covered her mouth again.

"Well, yes, but you're missing my point!" He sighed. "Ichigo is... special. But she hates me more than anyone."

Kisa looked at him with sad eyes. Realizing that he made his sister sad, something that he vowed never to do, Kish faked a smile. "But don't worry about it! I'm sure I'll get over her!"

Kisa looked at her older brother with determination gleaming in her eyes. "Onii-san!" She said loudly. "Megumi-chan fixed the male bath house, maybe you could try to feel better?"

Kish chuckled. "I'm just fine, Kisa-chan." He said, still trying his best to sound upbeat. "Although that isn't a bad idea..."

Kisa nodded. "You should go! Megumi and I made it look really pretty!"

Kish rubbed his sister's head affectionately. "That's my favorite sister..." He said as he began walking away. Kisa stared at him as he left, then turned to Tart, who had just appeared.

"Do you think it'll work?" She asked hopefully. Tart snickered.

"Trust me, your brother will be feeling great by the end of the week." Kisa nodded slightly, then grinned.

"I can't wait!"

Still slightly frustrated, Ichigo threw herself down on her bed and screamed into a pillow. Why did HE have to be there? She was looking forward to having fun on her vacation, taking luxurious baths, eating expensive food, and singing karaoke even though she failed miserably. Not to mention all of the hot boys that usually inhabited the co-ed bath house.

Ichigo blushed at the idea. _'Not that I'm not faithful to Masaya...' _She thought of her long-time crush. _'It's just that... he's not as... good looking as most other guys.' _Ichigo groaned and sat up, feeling horrible.

Suddenly, a piece of paper slid under her door. Curious, Ichigo stood up and took a look at it. The paper read the following:

_Dear Ichigo, I know that you're upset at the arrival of my brother and his friends. Please take this for the remainder of your trip, I'm sure that you will find it most comfortable. - Megumi_

Ichigo smiled at the gesture and opened her door. In a heap at her feet was a bundle of cloth that she identified as a swimsuit. Picking it up, she looked it over, blushing slightly.

"It's... rather revealing..." Ichigo stuttered as she held the bikini. "But it's really pretty... and there's no harm in going to the woman's bathhouse with this on..."

Smiling, Ichigo slowly undressed, preparing herself what she thought was the first good thing to happen this vacation.

Down the hallway from Ichigo's room, Pudding snickered slightly. Things were going just according to plan. Quickly, she bounded towards the two doors that separated the female and male bath houses.

Tart was already there waiting for her. "You gave it to her?" He asked, trying to sound uninterested. Pudding nodded happily.

"Yep! Ichigo Onee-san bought it! What about Kisshu-Nii?"

Tart nodded. "Yes, he's actually in the guy's bath right now..."

Pudding gave a smirk. "Then we'd better hurry, na no da!" She said as she switched the two signs.

Tart snickered. "And you put a camera in there?" Pudding nodded. "This is gonna be great..."

Kish sighed in ecstasy as he lowered himself into the hot spring, completely nude. He had absolutely no problem with it, considering the only other boys in the building were his comrades, and they had to share many baths before. Letting out a breath, he slid down until he was almost completely submerged. Closing his eyes, he felt completely at rest.

With his ears under the water, Kish was unable to hear a slight splash behind him. However, he did open his eyes for a fraction of a second, and was able to make out a shadow in the steam. Kish stood up and squinted his eyes. A shadow that looked extremely feminine.

Using magic, he was able to manipulate the air in order to blow the steam away and see the person in front of him. And what he saw took his breath away.

Ichigo, clothed only in a sheer bikini, was standing in front of him, her innocent eyes wide in shock at seeing a naked man for the first time. Kish looked hungrily over Ichigo's body which was all too visible in her bathing suit.

Kish wasn't the only one who was intrigued. Despite herself, Ichigo found herself sneaking a peek at the alien in front of her. His hair was free from its bands and matted to his face due to him being in the water. His entire body had a rosy glow to it, which led Ichigo to assume that he had been in there for a while.

She looked over Kish entirely, his muscles far more noticeable without clothing in the way. And despite herself, Ichigo also found herself looking... down.

Kish noticed where her eyes were and laughed heartily. "You like what you see, kitten?" He asked, smirking.

Ichigo blushed and tried to regain her composure. "W-What are you doing in here?" She shrieked, trying her best to cover herself.

Kish chuckled while walking toward her, licking his lips. "I think the better answer is..." He wrapped one arm around her. "What are you doing here?" He nipped one of her ears playfully.

Ichigo gave a slight gasp and stood completely frigid. "I... I'm taking a bath..." She stuttered out. "I asked you first...!" Ichigo pushed him away, lost her balance, and fell over.

Kish bent over her, a predatory gleam in his eye. "This is the men's bath honey." He traced her face with one finger. "Although you're more than welcome to stay with me..."

Jumping up, Ichigo backed away from him. "This is the woman's bath!" She protested.

Kish shook his head. "Uh-uh kitty. This is the men's, take a look yourself." Ichigo practically ran outside, with Kish right behind.

"Oh no, no, no..." She mumbled in dismay. "This can't be happening..." The signs outside of the baths had indeed been switched.

Laughing, Kish came up behind her. "See? We all make mistakes..." He breathed into her ear as he hugged her tightly. "But that doesn't mean you and I can't have some fun..."

Ichigo shook her head in defiance. "There is no way you and I are going to go back in there and have... have..." She faltered, embarrassed.

Kish laughed. "Have what, kitten?" He circled around her so that he could look her in the eye. "Sex?" Ichigo nodded, face as red as a beet. Kish smirked. "Oh Ichigo... you don't know how much I'd love that..." He took in a breath, smelling the shampoo in her hair. "But honestly, all I was thinking of was a hot make out session..."

Ichigo growled and pushed him away. "That's enough! Hugging me while I'm naked is all you're getting from me this week, are we clear?"

Kish shrugged. "I know you want me."

Ichigo huffed. "And what makes you say that?" She asked indignantly.

Kish quirked an eyebrow and smirked deviantly. "Because all this time you've been arguing with me you haven't once tried to cover yourself up." Ichigo looked down at herself and shrieked.

An on looking Pudding and Tart winced as Ichigo slapped Kish as hard as she could. They turned away from the bickering couple and sighed.

"I think we should have started out with something less X rated, huh?" Pudding asked, slumping down in defeat. Tart nodded.

"How about we leave them to their argument and work on Pai and Lettuce?" Tart asked, trying to cheer her up.

Pudding's head shot up. "You're right na no da!" She said happily. "We'd better work on them for now and come up with a better plan for Kish and Ichigo tomorrow morning!"

Tart gave a slight groan and prayed to whatever God was up there that Pai would never discover that he was helping out this evil scheme.

* * *

demonluver: Well that was cute! And the next chapter will be dedicated to Pai and Lettuce, I promise!

Ichigo: I can't believe you're making me do all of these things!

demonluver: That's what she said!

Kisshu: *has kiss marks all over his face* demonluver... I have a new resepct for you...

demonluver: All right! *fist pump* I rule!

Ichigo: This is ridiculous! Kisshu and I are not meant to be! He and I are total opposites, and I just hate him so much so we are never going to get together-

demonluver: *typing* "And then Ichigo shut up and began to strip in front of her love, Kisshu. He watched in amazement..."

Kisshu: Hey, you don't have to force me to do that!

demonluver: I know! *turns to audiance* Read and Review!


	3. Cream Puffs vs The Iron Skillet

demonluver: I'm back everybody! Out of my writer's block (again!)

Ichigo: Whoop-de-fucking-do...

Kisshu: Alright! Your back with a Kisshu/Ichigo craze!

demonluver: Actually, this chappie is Lettuce/Pai, remember?

Kisshu: Aw man, you're focusing on those two?

demonluver: Hey, I've done more than enough for you two!

Ichigo: So your not writing Kisshu/Ichigo anymore?

demonluver: Don't you wish... I'm not gonna stop tormenting you guys for a LONG time...

Kisshu: YESSSSS

Ichigo: NOOOOO

demonluver: They're so cute... anyways, I hope Pai and Lettuce aren't too Off Character in this chapter. You've gotta give me credit though, this is my first one dedicated only to them after all!

Kisshu: True that, true that... be nice to demonluver, okay? She's having a difficult time of month if you know what I mean...

demonluver: *hits Kisshu with an iron skillet* STFU! Lets just get on with the story... I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, Harlequin Blaze, Cream Puffs, OR Iron Skillets, okay?

Ichigo: O.O this is going to be a strange chapter...

demonluver: Aren't they always?

Kisshu: READ AND REVIEW!

* * *

Pudding and Tart slowly stalked the halls of the hot springs. "You know what to do, na no da?" Pudding asked in a hushed voice.

Tart nodded, slightly annoyed considering she had been asking him this question repeatedly for the past half hour.

Pudding nodded happily. "Hai! You go to Pai, I take Lettuce-chan!"

Tart sighed. "I know that, we've been over this."

Pudding giggled as she ran into Lettuce's room. "Make sure that you tell him when you know for certain she's done! I want this to go perfect, na no da!"

* * *

Lettuce sat atop her bed, reading a book that everyone who knew her would be shocked to see her with: a Harlequin Blaze. Her hands were shaking as she reached the part where Daniel had Elizabeth cornered in her room, and left nothing to get in the way of their desires. Lettuce gripped the book tightly as she read how they entwined passionately, Daniel's arms traveling underneath her clothes while Elizabeth let out moans of desires.

Lettuce's face flushed in anticipation, but before she got to the good part, she heard the door to her room burst open. "Lettuce Onee-chan!" Pudding shouted in greeting.

Frantically, Lettuce hid her Harlequin under her pillow. "Pudding-san!" She said loudly, "what are you doing here?"

Pudding cocked her head curiously. "Onee-chan... why is your face so red?"

Lettuce covered her hot cheeks with her hands. "Well, that is to say... I was in the hot springs earlier, and I think I stayed in too long, and I probably got really warm, and I still feel dizzy and that's bad so I thought I'd lay down..."

Pudding looked down at the ground, slightly sad. "Then you're not up to doing anything with me...?" She asked in a pitiful voice.

Lettuce's eyes widened. "N-Not at all Pudding! I'm just fine now, of course!"

Grinning, Pudding jumped up and sat on Lettuce's bed. "Can you make some of your wonderful cream puffs?" She asked, excited.

Lettuce blinked. "What?"

Pudding did a somersault off the bed. "Well, I remember tasting some of yours before, onee-chan, and I remember them being really good. I thought that they'd be a nice desert for dinner tonight!"

Smiling slightly, Lettuce patted Pudding's head. "I'd be glad to Pudding, but are you sure we have all of the ingredients?"

The blonde child grinned ear to ear. "I asked Megumi Onee-chan and she said she had everything needed."

Lettuce raised an eyebrow slightly at the mischievous glint in Pudding's eye, yet paid it no mind for the time being. "All right then..."

Pudding jumped up happily. "Hurray na no da!"

Giggling slightly, Lettuce headed out of the room. "I'll be sure to work hard, okay?"

Pudding nodded and waved happily as her friend as she left the room. Falling back on the bed, she chuckled evilly. Rolling over, she spotted something curious under a sheet. Lifting it up, she opened up to the page that Lettuce was reading.

"I don't get it... why is he reaching under her shirt? Is he checking her pulse or what?"

* * *

Walking down the halls of the hot springs, Pai let out a restless sigh. Speeding up slightly, he frantically tried to think up ways to get the Mews to leave so that he could enjoy his vacation in peace. Already his goal of sleeping in had been broken when he woke up at seven in the morning to the sound of Ichigo screaming at Kish.

While Pai was mentally cursing off the two idiotic teenagers, he almost ran into a smirking Tart. Raising an eyebrow, he asked in a monotone, "What do you want?"

Tart smirked up at him. "Just thought you might wanna know that the fishy mew is in the kitchens..."

Pai felt a pang of annoyance, yet could barely hold down the thought of Lettuce baking something in the adorable apron that Megumi made everyone wear. And he could also imagine what it would be like if he was there, and if the apron was the only thing Lettuce had on...

Pai shook his head, ashamed and trying to hold the dirty images back. "What of it?" He asked imperiously.

Tart let out a chuckle. "I heard that she was baking cream puffs..."

Pai tensed up even more than before. It was just like that little brat to pray on his one weakness. "It's not like I really care..."

Leaning up against the wall, Tart raised an eyebrow. "So you've kicked your addiction for them then?"

Letting out a growl, Pai turned on his heel. "I'm not going to break my diet for anything Taruto! Megumi would tease me to no end if she discovered this!"

Tart burst into laughter. "She already teases you for everything. I think this'll be fine. Plus, I heard from Pudding that the fishy makes the best cream puffs in the world."

Pai looked over his shoulder. "Don't start with me about the cream puffs, and I won't start with you about your little crush on Pudding."

Jumping back, Tart felt a blush covering his face. "What... what makes you think I'd ever like that god-awful, annoying little brat?"

Pai chucked slightly as he walked away. "Because you said her name just now, you actually sounded happy."

Tart scoffed as he watched him walk away. "That's stupid..." He said under his breath.

* * *

Lettuce hummed happily as she grabbed the tube of icing. Squeezing on it gently, she grinned as she made each one as neat as possible. Lettuce was about to wipe her hands off on the towel, but changed her mind halfway and decided to suck the delicious cream off of her fingers.

The door creaked open behind her. Lettuce turned her head around and mumbled in surprise, finger still in her mouth, "Pai-san!"

The purple-haired alien was standing nonchalantly by the door, taking in the smell of Lettuce's cooking. He tried his hardest to conceal a blush as he looked her over, donned in an apron and sucking the white cream off of her finger... Pai mentally smacked himself for thinking such things.

"I heard... from Taruto... that you were making these..." He said softly, surveying Lettuce's work. They actually did look quite good, better than any from a store or made from a mix.

Lettuce nodded happily. "They are my favorite things to make!" She lifted one up. "Would you like to try one? They're already cooled down."

Pai took one from her and bit gently into the end. He let out a moan of happiness as he tasted the sweet cream filling. Closing his eyes, Pai slowly let a grin engulf his face.

"Oh yes... these are the best..." Lettuce blushed as Pai said that. He turned to her again. "Erm... may I have another... please?"

Lettuce blinked. "Of course..." She muttered, placing another in his hand. Pai took a small bite out of it, and Lettuce couldn't help but giggle.

He turned and looked at her, still nibbling on the cream puff. "Is something funny...?" He asked her as he finished it off.

Lettuce shook her head. "It's just that..." She gave another tiny giggle. "I've never really seen you like this before, Pai-san. It's like you're a little kid!"

Pai blushed and looked away. "Well... you see, when I was younger, my mother made similar treats for Megumi and myself..."

Lettuce smiled up at him. "So you really like my cooking?"

Pai gave a slight smile. "Yes, it reminds me of my family..."

Lettuce grabbed the plate of cream puffs. "Well, I'd better take these to the refrigerator before you eat them all, huh?"

Pai held back a slight chuckle. "I'm not that bad..."

Lettuce giggled. "I know! I'm just teasing-" Her words were cut off when she suddenly slipped on a cream spill that she forgot to clean before. Pai's eyes widened as he grabbed Lettuce and tried to keep her from falling down, only to land on top of her.

The green-haired Mew stared up at him. "Um... thank you... Pai-san..."

Pai looked down at her and gulped. "Don't... don't mention it..." He muttered.

Before they could move, the door to the kitchen opened. "LETTUCE-CHAN!" Megumi shouted as she ran in. "How's the cooking doing...?" She trailed off as she saw the position Pai and Lettuce were in.

"Otooto-san..." She muttered. "You... you..." Megumi growled and grabbed an iron skillet. "HOW DARE YOU BE SO FORWARD WITH SUCH AN INNOCENT GIRL?"

Pai quickly scrambled off of Lettuce. "Megumi, it's not what you think!" He shouted, all in vain as his older sister took a couple swipes at him.

"Pervert! I can't believe you! My little brother, I thought you were a good boy!"

Lettuce watched as Pai ran in fear from his elder sister. "Um... it was seriously an accident..." She protested as she tried to stop Megumi from doing any lasting damage.

* * *

Pudding and Tart watched as Megumi chased Pai around the building. Pudding sighed and slumped back. "They almost had a moment!" She shouted in dismay.

Tart snickered as he watched Pai dodge the iron skillet. "At least we get to eat the leftover cream puffs."

Pudding gave a suspicious glare. "That's the reason you suggested this plan, isn't it?"

Tart handed one over to Pudding. "Are you complaining?" The hyperactive mew shook her head vigorously.

"Nope, gimme!" Pudding took one and wolfed it down.

Tart sighed. Back to square one with Lettuce and Pai, and it was only the first day. He thought that at least it would be easier to work with them considering that Lettuce didn't scream bloody murder every time Pai came near (unlike another certain girl in the building)\par

Tart turned to Pudding again. "What do you say we work on Kisshu and Ichigo for one last time today, huh?"

Pudding stood up. "That's a great idea, na no da!" She shouted. "And this time she's not going to be able to call him a pervert!"

Tart silently prayed to whatever God was up there that this time the plan would not involve seeing both Kisshu and Ichigo naked. God laughed at him and said that God makes no promises.

* * *

demonluver: Alright! How many of you were shocked at Pai's obession for cream puffs? Come on, hands up!

Kisshu: *rolling on the floor laughing* I can't... believe this... haha...

Ichigo: Shut up Kisshu! That was actually kind of sweet! Except for that one part where Pai pictured Lettuce in nothing but her apron...

demonluver: Um, HELLO? It's called FANSERVICE?

Ichigo: And that matters because...?

demonluver: You are all slaves to it. Myself not included, because no one writes sexy stories about me *sniffle*

Kisshu: I think you're forgetting the Mary Sue stories you and your soul sister do together...

demonluver: Oh yeah, those! Me and my sexy Kouga! *huggles*

Ichigo: That's... kind of creepy...

demonluver: Not half as creepy as some Twilight fans are becoming! They turned it into a religion and are beating the crap out of people who don't like the books!

Kisshu: Dude, are you serious?

demonluver: Yep! And for someone who bashes Twilight as a hobby, I've gotta be prepared... *puts on an army helmet and grabs a bazooka*

Ichigo: ...are you serious? You cant go to school with those!

demonluver: It's okay! I'll hide them under my INVISIBLITY CLOAK!

Kisshu: So to sum up today...

Ichigo: ... demonluver hates Twilight...

Kisshu: ...and is a Harry Potter freak.

demonluver: Pretty much yeah. WATCH OUT FOR CRAZY FANGIRLS! OF ANY KIND!


	4. For Want of a Turtleneck

demonluver: Two chappies in one day! Let's celebrate with MONSTER!

Kisshu: Oh no! *grabs can* We all know how crazy you can become when you drink this... *starts gulping Monster down himself*

Ichigo: *grabs Monster from Kisshu* You're BOTH idiots!

Kisshu: Anyway... this chapter is all about Kisshu/Ichigo!

Ichigo: Why do I get the feeling that this CANNOT be good...?

* * *

Ichigo pulled up on her shirt, steaming over the fact that Kish had the nerve to look her over while she was naked, and even more angry at the fact that he followed her around all day, insisting that his intentions were innocent. Ichigo snorted as she remembered.

_'Yeah, right.'_ She thought as she lifted her shirt up and over her head. When it wouldn't give, Ichigo tugged harder, then winced in pain as she felt her hair being pulled. _'Oh no... I just hate it when this happens...'_ She thought as she frantically tried to grab the lock of hair that was keeping her shirt from coming off. _'Stupid button downs... this is the last time I'm ever...' _

Ichigo gave a slight yelp as she tripped over her own feet and landed on her bed. Completely shrouded in darkness because of the shirt, Ichigo let out muffled screams for help as she thrashed around.

Meanwhile, Kish was innocently floating in the air above his bed, reading a Harlequin novel that Tart had stolen from Pudding, who presumably stole it from Lettuce. He giggled at the irony of Lettuce liking such a thing.

_'Tch, silly Elizabeth...'_ Kish thought as he read the dialogue leading up to the sex scene. _'Just give into your desires...'_

His peaceful reading was cut short when he heard a banging on the wall of his room which led to Ichigo's. Kish's ears perked up as he heard his precious koneko practically begging for him to come in to take her shirt off. Well, not him specifically, but who else would she expect to come help her? Pai?

Smirking, Kish dropped his book on the bed and teleported away.

Reappearing in Ichigo's room, Kish gave a sadistic chuckle as he saw Ichigo, caught in her shirt and helpless, lying on the bed.

Ichigo tensed up. "Damnit Kish, that had better not be you!"

Kish couldn't help but shriek in delight as he watched Ichigo flop around helplessly. "So what if it is kitten? What are you gonna do about it?"

Ichigo grunted in excursion as she tried with all her might to get her shirt back on. "Get out of my room right now! I refuse to let you see me like this!"

Kish looked her over hungrily. "I can see why..." He said darkly. "You have to cover yourself up with such unflattering clothes in order to keep bad men like me from jumping you in the street, huh?"

The pink mew could feel herself shivering, but insisted that it was because she was cold with her stomach exposed, and not that Kish was scaring her. "Don't you dare try anything Kish! I'll hate you forever!"

Kish smirked as he teleported onto her bed. Ichigo shrieked and tried to sit up. He rolled his eyes and grabbed her roughly. "Will you just fucking hold still?" Kish muttered as he gently took the lock of hair that was snagged on a button and untangled it. "There..." He murmured in satisfaction as he pulled the shirt over her head.

Kish took in the sight of Ichigo, with her hair mussed up because of the friction, and now wearing only her jeans and a pink bra with little white hearts all over it. He felt a growl rumble in his chest as she wiped her eyes, and cursed her cuteness.

Ichigo blinked as her eyes became used to the sudden light. She was greeted by a smirking Kisshu. "Um... well... thank you Kish..."

The green-haired alien patted her on the head. "Don't mention it, hun..." He said in a cocky voice. "Although I would just love to be rewarded..."

Ichigo jumped up from the bed. "Nyaa! You can't be serious!"

Kish looked at her with dark eyes. Licking his lips, he muttered, "Oh, but Ichigo, isn't it customary for the damsel in distress to reward her hero with a kiss?"

Ichigo blushed and turned away. "You're not my hero Kish! Nor was I a damsel in distress!"

Kish raised an eyebrow. "So you yelling and screaming for help was just a clever ruse to lure me in here? With you exposed, and so vulnerable? I knew you were in denial all along, kitten!"

Ichigo felt her face turn as red as a beet. "N-No! That's not it at all!"

Kish leaned in and grabbed her chin. Tilting it up, he looked at her suggestively. "Then you wouldn't mind just giving me this one pleasure? After all Ichigo, we've kissed before..."

Ichigo turned away. "I didn't exactly give you my consent..." Kish laughed. She growled and caved in. "Fine, I'll let you kiss me." The alien in front of her looked overjoyed. "But not on the lips." Kish's smile faded.

"Ichigo, that's not fair!" The pink-haired mew laughed at the fact that Kish's voice had raised a few octaves.

Ichigo smirked as she waltzed up to him. "Take it or leave it." She said smugly, crossing her hands over her chest.

Kish groaned. "Very well, you win this time, Ichigo." He walked around her. "Or do you?" He grabbed her from behind and pulled her into him so that her back was against his chest.

Ichigo struggled against him. "Kish, what are you doing?" She yelled, trying to turn around in his arms, to no avail. His grip was as firm as a rock.

Ichigo heard Kisshu chuckle into her ear. "Ichigo, silly girl..." He muttered as he hugged her tightly. "Not on the lips, eh? I can work around that..." Kish lowered his mouth to her jugular vein and kissed it, gently at first, then began to suck on it harder.

Ichigo thrashed in his arms, but more out of pleasure than protest. "K-Kish...!" She moaned out as he held her close, taking in her scent and stroking her bare skin. Kish continued to suck and lick on her neck, biting down ever-so-gently.

Ichigo's head swam with emotions as she felt Kish in a way that she had never experienced before. His mouth on her neck was an absolutely wonderful sensation, and Ichigo pushed herself against him, begging for more. Her body was pressed against his, and she could feel his heart beating, and even a slight bulge in the general vicinity of his pelvis. Ichigo felt her face become ever redder as she realized just what she was doing to him.

She let out another moan of pleasure as she felt her stomach summersault and her heart fluttering. Ichigo could feel her cat ears and tail popping out, yet did absolutely nothing to stop it. She loved the way he was touching her, and was greedy for more. Ichigo longed to touch him, to run her fingers through his hair, to feel his body on top of her...

Kish could feel her body shaking, and heard her whimpering in desire. Smirking, he pulled away and moved in front of her again. The sight of her, red faced and panting with her ears and tail out, was almost too much for Kish as he tried his hardest not to take her right then and there.

"So..." He asked as he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into him. "Was that good for you?"

Ichigo, trying her hardest to deny him, shook her head. "N-Not good at all..."

Kish's eyes narrowed; he could see through her ruse, and it annoyed him immensely. "Oh no?" He asked darkly. "Then why are your ears and tail out?"

Ichigo scoffed as she tried to think up an excuse. "It's embarrassment! I could feel your... your..."

Kisshu raised an eyebrow. "My what, Ichigo?"

She blushed. "It was just weird, okay!"

Kish laughed. "So you've never necked with anyone else? That makes me happy."

Ichigo struggled to get out of his grip. "No, I haven't, and I don't want to do it with you ever again!"

Kish laughed again as he let her go. "Liar!" He grinned. "You were begging me to push you down on the bed and do all sorts of kinky things to you in your mind, weren't you?"

Ichigo felt herself going even redder. "N-Not at all! I don't know where you'd get such a ridiculous idea when I've never had the slightest urge to- what are you doing?"

Kish had grabbed a hold of her ears and began rubbing them. "Are you so repulsed by me, Ichigo?" The girl could feel herself purring. "Am I really that bad?"

Ichigo struggled to answer. "Y-Yes! You stole my first kiss and... you always attack me and my friends... and your people are trying to take over the world...!"

Kish looked down at her, trying her hardest to remain alert. He massaged her cat ears some more and was satisfied when she let out a moan. "The reason I stole your first kiss was because I didn't like the thought of any other guy doing so..." He muttered. "And I'm the one who always attacks you is because if any other Cyniclon did so, you'd honestly probably be dead by now. As to taking over your world..." Kish trailed off.

Ichigo looked at him curiously through her haze of pleasure. "As for taking over my planet...?" She asked him expectantly.

Kish looked at her. "Well, Ichigo, given the circumstances, wouldn't you do the same thing?"

Ichigo turned away from his eyes, scared of the expression on his face. "I... I don't know..."

Kish sighed and let her go. "Of course you don't..." He muttered under his breath. "Despite all of that..." Kish turned to Ichigo. "You still think I'm the bad guy?"

Ichigo sat down on her bed and looked down at the floor. "No... not exactly..."

Kish stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Sighing he prepared himself to teleport away. "Fine, it's better than nothing..." Ichigo heard him say. "I'll see you at dinner. You may wanna wear a turtle neck in order to hide that hickey of yours..." Kish disappeared in a ripple of air.

Ichigo jumped up in horror. "Wait... hickey?" She ran to the mirror and took a long look at her neck, which now had a large red mark on the side. "That asshole..." She muttered darkly.

* * *

Pudding smirked as she lowered the video camera. Sneaking out of the room, she did a mini-flip in the air and landed next to Tart.

He glanced over at her. "Did you record everything?" He asked her impatiently. Pudding nodded.

"Yep! Every single last bit of it!" She played it to him. "I knew it was a good idea to sneak glue onto Ichigo Onee's shirt buttons!"

Tart nodded. "That was pretty cool actually..." Pudding looked at him in surprise. "I mean... the way the plan worked out and everything..."

Pudding broke into a huge grin and jumped on top of him. "Thank you Taru-Taru!"

Tart struggled from underneath her. "C-Crazy woman! I give you one compliment and you just... Eep!" Pudding kissed him on the cheek.

Pulling back, she smiled happily. "This means that we're best friends now!" Tart blushed as he sat up.

"Yeah... well... whatever..." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "So... do you have anything planned for this evening...?"

Pudding nodded excitedly. "Hai! We're gonna do karaoke!"

Tart blinked. "Um... karaoke?"

Pudding nodded. "I already got Megumi-san to put Kisshu and Ichigo in the same booth! Same with Pai and Lettuce!"

Tart groaned. "Why do I get the feeling that this isn't going to turn out well...?" He asked her.

Pudding cocked her head. "I have absolutely no idea. My plans are working great so far, na no da!"

Tart sighed. "I think you're forgetting the bath incident and the iron skillet incident Pudding..."

* * *

demonluver: Alrighty then! Next chapter: Kisshu will sing one of my favorite songs! What will it be? You'll just have to wait *winks*

Kisshu: I get to serenade my koneko-chan! *squee!*

Ichigo: You two are looking forward to the next chapter WAY too much for my liking...

demonluver: Review please!


	5. Kareoke and Endings

demonluver: Sheesh, I haven't updated in ages! If you're still interested in the story even after my one-year hiatus, reviews would be much appreciated. Internet cookie for everyone!

* * *

After the rather embarrassing incident with he-who-must-not-be-named, Megumi came into Ichigo's room, telling her that she had something special planned for the night. Ichigo perked up, willing to do anything in order to forget her little... fiasco.

That being said, Ichigo was excited at the prospect of doing something entertaining and followed Megumi into a dimly lit room. It was decorated in a similar way to a nightclub, with a bunch of doors that led to separate rooms. In those rooms Ichigo could see a bunch of separate TVs that appeared to be hooked into a sort of game system. Ichigo's curiosity grew as she looked at the people already seated on a couch in the center of the room.

To Ichigo's surprise, the rest of her friends were there, as well as the aliens. She gave a slight growl as she glared at Kish, who smirked and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "What are we doing here?" Ichigo asked Megumi, pointedly ignoring Kish.

Megumi smiled at them all. "It's Friday, karaoke night." She grinned. "And since it's such a small circle of friends, we get to use a random ballot system."

Mint scoffed. "Who came up with that plan?"

Tart and Pudding looked at each other and smirked. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Did you rig it?"

Pudding smirked. "You bet." Tart grinned.

Megumi brought out a box of names. "I've got everybody's name here on a slip of paper." She held it out. "It's girl's choice, why don't you start, Ichigo-chan?"

Ichigo groaned inwardly. She loved karaoke, she really did. But she couldn't stay on key for the life of her. Anytime she tried to sing (outside of the shower) she got laughed at. Ichigo sniffed slightly as she grabbed a random slip of paper out of the box.

She glanced down and read it. "No." Ichigo said, crumpling up the paper. "I refuse."

Megumi laughed and grabbed the paper. Reading it, she laughed even harder. "KISSHU! Get in there!"

Ichigo glared at everyone in the room. "I am not going to be left alone in the same room with that guy!"

Pai, who had been quietly seated during the entire ruckus, suddenly stood up and growled menacingly. "And I sure as hell am not going to be left in the same dimension as him when he starts sulking because of you... again!" He pushed Ichigo into the room, and subsequently, into Kish's open arms.

Everyone stared at Pai in shock. "Um... Megumi-san?" Lettuce asked timidly. "Do you know what just happened?"

Megumi sighed. "It's because he didn't get to eat your cream puffs. I think he's still on a short fuse about that. And there's a chance that I may have hit him too hard with that skillet..."

Lettuce rubbed her forehead, beginning to feel as if she were the only person in the room who was legitimately sane. Megumi held another fixed box of names out to the green haired girl. "Your turn!" She said cheerily. Lettuce sighed, picking the name out of the box and reading it, a blush rising to her cheeks.

* * *

Ichigo shrieked as she was thrown into the room, preparing herself for impact. Kish grabbed her and held her in place, chuckling slightly.

"Looks like you're stuck with me..." He muttered softly, taking in a deep breath and smelling her hair.

Ichigo struggled against his grip. "Let go of me!" She squirmed out of his arms. Reluctantly, Kish let her go. Ichigo began pounding at the door, which was locked and held tight with alien magic. She began yelling outraged obscenities at the people on the other side, while Kish picked up a list of songs and flipped through it. Kish then glanced over to a mini-fridge, where he found an assortment of human drinks. Opening it and taking one out, he sniffed it cautiously before chugging it down completely.

Kish's eye began to twitch. Then his body began shaking. Then he let out a yell and grabbed Ichigo around the waist, kissing her full on the mouth. Ichigo was too shocked to take any form of action, such as slapping him, before he pulled away and began to look at the book full of karaoke songs.

"Oh my God, I think I'll sing this one- or maybe I'll do this one- I love this song- Ooh, why don't I sing this one?"

Ichigo continued watching in complete and utter shock before Kish grabbed the microphone and began singing some odd rap song into it. Ichigo looked at what Kish had been drinking. "Chocolate milk? Really? That's what you aliens get high off of?"

Meanwhile, Kisshu's song had gotten to the chorus. Without warning, the song changed from a stereotypical rap song to what sounded suspiciously like an 80s love ballad sung by Michael Bolton… about Jack Sparrow.

_"__This is the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow,_

_A pirate so brave on the seven seas!"_ Kish sang happily.

"What…?" Ichigo muttered in disbelief.

_"A mystical quest to the isle of Tortuga_

_A raven-like sway on the ocean free!"_

Ichigo sighed and turned off the karaoke machine. "Kish, there's gotta be something to counteract the chocolate milk…" She muttered, rubbing her temples.

Kish giggled happily. "Don't worry Ichi-chan! It only lasts for five minutes…" Kish's face slowly lost its color as it changed from a look of happiness to that of horror.

"Damn, what have I done…?" Kish asked, putting his face in his hands. "Now you'll probably never take me seriously again…"

Ichigo sighed, realizing that the after effect of five minutes of intense hyperactivity would end with five more minutes of angsty out of character behavior. She put her arm around Kish's shoulder.

"Hey, I take you seriously." She said, trying to cheer him up. Kisshu looked up and frowned.

"That's not true! You think I'm a joke! You hate me…" His ears drooped in sadness, and Ichigo couldn't hold back the fact that the sight was a rather cute one.

Ichigo tilted his chin up. "No, I don't hate you." She muttered, running her fingers through his hair.

Kish sighed at the feeling, and then shook it off. "Yes you do! Otherwise, would you call me a pervert and yell at me?"

Ichigo sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry I call you a pervert and yell at you."

Kish's ears perked up. "All those times you've yelled at me?" He asked hopefully.

Ichigo gave a thin smile. "Yes, all those times I've yelled at you."

Kisshu sat straight up so that their faces were two inches apart. "So you really do care about me!" He said, returning to his normal self.

Ichigo scoffed. "No way, I just said that because you were so sad. It was creeping me out."

Kish grinned. "Admit it, you love me." He winked at Ichigo, who turned away and gave a slight scream.

"I can't believe you! You cocky bastard!

* * *

Pai stood, staring at Lettuce in horror. It turned out that the soda in their room had been spiked with... something. And that something appeared to mimic the effects of alcohol.

Now, just to be clear, Pai had never in his life admitted to being afraid of anything. He withstood training sessions, the toughest of battles, and the most unfair of fights. But nothing could have prepared him to face a drunken Lettuce. And as luck would have it, it turns out that Lettuce was highly susceptible to the effects of this drug.

Also, she was a mean drunk.

"You... you..." Lettuce's face scrunched up, almost as if she was about to cry. "You fucking asshole!" She screamed, throwing a pillow at him.

Pai ducked. "Look," He tried to reason, "all I said was that you may want to lie down..." He dodged yet another pillow as Lettuce let out a cry of rage.

"You're calling me weak, aren't you?" She screamed, aiming to punch him square in the face. Pai caught her wrist and grabbed her other hand, attempting to pin her down. "I'll bet that's what all you aliens say behind my back! That I'm the weak one, the sensitive one! Well I'll tell you buddy, you can stick that sensitive stuff up your -" At this point the writer decided that she would not tarnish the audience's innocence any further by writing what Lettuce said to Pai. She will, however, tell you that the tips of his ears turned a delightful shade of pink.

Pai's forehead wrinkled as he tried to focus. _'This situation isn't as impossible as it seems, just remove yourself from the situation. Think of something nice. Megumi, Kisshu when his mouth is shut, fighting simulations, cream puffs, Lettuce with cream puffs, Lettuce covered with cream puffs- no! Think of something else. The complete and total annialation of the Earth. Wait, Lettuce wouldn't approve of that, would she?'_

Pai sighed. "Lettuce, if I have in any way offended you, then I am deeply sorry. I hold nothing but the highest respect for you-" He was cut off when Lettuce let out a deep wail and broke down crying. Anyone acquainted with Pai knew that despite his vast amount of knowledge, he knew next to nothing about dealing with women, particularly the drunk and crying variety.

"Thank...you!" Lettuce blubbered out between sobs. "I can't believe... hic! That you're so... nice to me..." She broke down crying again. "Why can't I find a sweet and loving guy like you ta... ta go out with an'... an' date! An' I wanna do... _adult _stuff, ya know? Like... like kissin', 'cept with no clothes on, right?"

Pai ran the options through his head. Taking her up on the offer was out of the question. Simply waiting until the effects of the unknown drug wore off would probably ruin his entire vacation. Calling for help would make him appear weak, and the thought of knocking her out was very obviously not the best course of action.

That left him with only two options: sing a romantic love ballad to her, or ask her out on a date. Or he could do both, the very thought of doing so sent a flare of excitement through him.

_'You'd think training would have prepared me for something like this. But no, we had to learn about Atomic bombs...'_

* * *

Ichigo sighed happily and leaned back into the couch, content with herself. Kish simply stared at her, pouting.

"Ya know, koneko, after that completely romantic song I sang to you, I'm almost offended that "Fuck You!" was your next choice..." Kisshu grumbled. Ichigo let out a laugh yet otherwise remained silent. Kish fumed on the corner of the couch.

"Fine, Ichigo, if that's the way you wanna be..." He grabbed his microphone. "Hmm... Sexyback seems to describe me perfectly, Strawberry, how about I sing that?" Ichigo simply rolled her eyes in response. "Hmph. Alright, _fine_. Let's see..."

"You know," Ichigo spoke up, "you could just try _asking_." She turned away from Kish, a slight blush tinting her cheeks.

Kish turned at her in surprise. "Asking what?" Ichigo firmly kept her eyes planted on the leather in front of her face.

With butterflies stirring up in her stomach, Ichigo turned to look at him. "You know, asking me out?"

Kish quirked an inquisitive eyebrow at the embarrassed girl in front of him. "Haven't I?"

"Well yes, but-" Ichigo turned to look at him. Big mistake, considering that he had taken the chance to close the distance between them. Their noses almost touched, and Ichigo felt the blush that had been receding from her cheeks come back full force. She let out a slight squeak and slid away from him to the edge of the couch. That move only caused Kish to lean closer into her.

When it became apparent that he would not speak until she finished her sentence, Ichigo continued in a shaky voice. "I... You've never sounded serious, anytime you've done it." She finished in a rush, staring at his chest to avoid looking into his eyes.

Kish stared at her intently, intrigued at her question. To him, it sounded very much like she was interested. Even if the interest was somewhat nervous, even a little bit terrified. What, was she scared of him? Granted, he had done some things in the past that may have earned him a smack in the head or an "asshole!" but it was not as if he ever actually planned on killing her... except that one time when they met at the zoo... oh yeah, and that time on the roof of the building... Kisshu stopped his train of thought there lest he accidentally remember just _why _Ichigo had hated him so much.

Kish stood up, so quickly that Ichigo gave a jolt of surprise. As she watched him, she realized that he was making a move for the microphone. Of all the- After what she just said, he still wanted to play with that stupid machine? Fuming, Ichigo lay back, determined not to speak to him. _'Asshole...' _She thought angrily.

Unaware of Ichigo's inner turmoil, Kish was flipping through the song choices, as if searching for one in particular. "Sixpence None the Richer... Sixwire... Six AM... Skee-Lo?... Skeeter Davis... Skid Row... Ah-ha! Skillet." Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. She did not take Kisshu as a fan of Christian Rock, which was pretty much all she knew about the band in question. Kish, however, seemed to know exactly what he was looking for.

He turned to her, grinning cheekily. "This is a song for a very special lady." Ichigo blushed, her resolve to stay angry at him weakening.

_"I see you standing here,_

_But you're so far away..."_

_'Stay mad at him, stay mad at him...'_ Ichigo thought desperately. She could not say that Kish had a great voice, or even a good one. It was okay at best. But Ichigo still couldn't blush at his song choice. 'I could be yours alone?' What was he thinking? Was he trying to make her weak in the knees? Despite herself, Ichigo was relieved that she was sitting down.

* * *

Pai rushed to the machine, flipping through song choices. To be honest, he knew nothing about earth music, save for his one weakness- one that Kish and Tart would learn over his dead body. That weakness was Broadway musicals. Pai could hear Kish mocking him in the back of his mind, but he felt that it would be worth letting his secret out to make Lettuce feel better.

'Wicked'... no, that wouldn't be right, neither would 'Into the Woods'... 'Book of Mormon'? Out of the question. 'Sweeney Todd'... That would just scare her. 'Zombie Prom' - Dear lord, no. 'The Last 5 Years'! That was promising.

Pai scrolled through the songs, muttering to himself before choosing one. Lettuce peered at him over the rim of her glasses, but otherwise remained silent, having no idea what 'The Last 5 Years' was anyway.

Pai gulped before choosing a song entitled 'Shiksa Goddess'. Turning back at the expectant Lettuce, his face turned a deep red before singing.

_"I'm breaking my mother's heart,_

_The longer I stand looking at you..."_

Lettuce blinked through her not-quite-as-drunk-as-she-was-five-minutes-ago-but-still-kind-of-hammered stupor. She had not expected this, and the more she heard of the song, the more she blushed, particularly every time Pai mentioned that he was 'waiting for someone' like her.

Although, the line 'If you like to drink blood, I think it's cute' elicited a laugh from her.

_"I say, "Hey hey hey hey!_

_I've been waiting for someone_

_I've been praying for someone_

_I think that I could be in love with someone like you."_

Pai finished with a blush. He couldn't really consider that singing, more like speaking in tune, but it still evoked an emotional response from Lettuce, or at least, he hoped that was why her face was bright pink.

Lettuce stood up and took a tentative step forward. Pai mirrored her, so that they were both standing only a foot away from each other. Lettuce then decided that anything she did at this moment, she could blame on whatever was in her drink. Closing the distance between them, she stood up on the tips of her toes and gave Pai a shy kiss.

Pai instantly stiffened under the feel of her lips brushing against his. He could feel the innocence radiating off of her, the simple desire. Her virgin lips felt warm against his cold mouth, and Pai wondered if her entire body was as warm. Hesitantly, he closed his eyes and pressed closer, savoring the velvet feel of her lips. He flicked his tongue against them, eliciting a gasp from Lettuce.

That was about as much as he could take. Pulling back, Pai opened his eyes to see Lettuce, eyes still closed, and face flush with anticipation. It took a majority of his willpower to keep him from pushing her onto the couch and taking things a little further. Clenching his fists, Pai attempted to clear his mind.

Meanwhile, Lettuce was in a dream-like daze. Slowly opening her eyes, she was shocked to find Pai standing in front of her with a very tense expression on his face. A wave of guilt, embarrassment, and shame washed over her as she instantly regretted her actions.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Pai's head shot up. "I shouldn't have done that; I know you don't like me. Well, you may like me- I mean, you don't seem to hate me- but you don't like me like that! I am so sorry, Pai-" Her lips were suddenly silenced by Pai's as he kissed her again. This time, however, was not pure and innocent. It was filled with desire, and dark secrets of carnal delights. Pai grabbed the back of her head and pressed her body lush against his, and Lettuce let out a squeak of surprise.

Pai's tongue darted in between the temporary part in her lips, and it explored her mouth. Hungrily, longingly, it explored her mouth. Lettuce felt herself becoming weak as she slumped against him, moaning through the kiss.

Pai's resolve snapped. He pulled back from the kiss and pressed Lettuce against the wall. Growling, his mouth moved to her neck, nipping on the base before running his mouth along the curve of her shoulder. Lettuce let out another moan and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. The temporary pain caused Pai to wake up from his lust-driven stupor.

Pulling back quickly, he moved to create as much distance as he could between them. Lettuce looked him over curiously, almost all traces of the drug gone. "Do you regret that?" She asked him sadly, staring at her feet.

"I am experienced in controlling my emotions around others, Lettuce." Pai muttered, "However, with you it has become... increasingly difficult. I do not wish to scare you away, and-" Pai was cut off by Lettuce pulling the collar of his shirt down to meet her lips. Running her fingers through his hair, she kissed him repeatedly, clutching his face in her hands.

Pulling back, she looked at him through half-lidded eyes. "I'm not afraid." She whispered shyly. "I've always admired you, and I think it may be an after-effect of the drink, but I'm going to be completely honest when I say that I love your kisses and that I think I might even be falling in love with-" Her sentence, however, was silenced by yet another kiss, one which didn't end for quite some time. Not that Lettuce was complaining, of course.

* * *

_"I'm stretching but you're just out of reach_

_I'm ready when you're ready for me..."_

Ichigo held her knees up against her chest, staring at Kish as the last note of the song ended. Gulping, she deliberately avoided looking into his eyes. "Wow, that was... surprisingly sweet, I-" She looked down at the floor. "I don't know what to say."

Kish stared at the embarrassed girl, an unreadable expression on his face. "Then don't say anything." He countered. "I just want to know... was that honest enough for you?"

Ichigo's head shot up to look at him. "What?"

Kish sighed. "The song. I was asking you out, or whatever you humans call it. I'm officially courting you now." He twirled the microphone in his hand. "Unless, of course, you'd prefer to go back to that Masaya guy."

Masaya. Ichigo's heard dropped. She had forgotten all about him.

But then again, what kind of crush did she have if she forgot all about Masaya in the face of an incredibly attractive (albeit frustrating) alien?

Ichigo took in a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm not really all that interested in Masaya anymore." She muttered, turning to look at Kish. She saw a flash of emotion in his golden eyes which she recognized as excitement. Ichigo felt a new desire well up within her. The desire to be coy.

"Of course," Ichigo stood up and began sauntering over to Kisshu, "that doesn't mean that I'm simply going to jump into another man's arms." She stood in front of him, holding back a grin in exchange for a forced look of innocence. "I'll have to be asked out on a proper date before I can even consider that." She looked directly at Kish's bewildered face. "He'd have to be brave, of course, strong, noble, heroic," She paused, thinking, "Handsome in a tux..." Kish stared at Ichigo as if she had gone insane.

"Although only that would be boring." Ichigo decided, still inwardly grinning over her trick. "He'd tease me, mess with my emotions, scare me, excite me, love me..."

Kish quirked an eyebrow. "Seems like you're interested in some pretty messed up people, Ichigo..."

Ichigo sighed. "Well, having a prince in shining armor would be dull, wouldn't it? Of course..." She lowered her eyelids and gazed at Kish in a look she hoped was suggestive. "He'd have to be a good kisser as well..."

Kisshu's ears perked up as he realized just what she was implying. Grinning, he regained his composure and winked at her. "Well, koneko-chan, that's wonderful, that you're finally starting to realize that you're too good for that creep." Ichigo blushed. "But I have to wonder, are you taking any applicants for your new 'boyfriend' position?"

She refused to meet his gaze, worried that her resolve might break. "Well..." She muttered, "I haven't had anyone interested in me yet. Naturally, they would have to prove to me just how good of a kisser they really are, and-" Kisshu's lips cut off whatever she was going to say next.

Ichigo's eyes widened as she resisted the familiar urge to push him away. Instead, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, pressing up against him.

Kish, on the other hand, was rather surprised when a slap did not come. Not one to leave an opportunity unexplored, he nibbled down on Ichigo's bottom lip, her gasp of surprise gaining him full access to her mouth, not that she was complaining.

Gasping at the sensation of Kish's mouth hungrily ravaging hers, Ichigo pulled away, blushing furiously. It took a few seconds of silence before Kish spoke up.

"So do I get the job?" He smirked as her eyes widened. In truth, Ichigo had forgotten about the little joke she made; the kiss had just felt so good.

Turning to look up at him, Ichigo mumbled, "You've got yourself a date." before grabbing his head and pulling him in for another kiss.

* * *

Pudding and Tart felt proud of themselves as they sat alone on the edge of a co-ed hot spring, each in their swim suits. Pudding turned to her friend and smiled.

"I think we did good!" She exclaimed happily.

Tart smirked. "At least the guys'll be happier when we go home." This comment caused Pudding to frown. "Oh damn, what now?"

Pudding turned away. "It's just, you've never been so nice to me before..." She muttered, splashing her feet in the water. "I guess I don't want it to end."

Tart sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. As much as he knew he shouldn't care about her feelings, he couldn't help but do so. And it annoyed him to no end. Still, he became... bothered when Pudding wasn't smiled. Which is mainly what caused him to say this:

"Ya know... when we go back to Tokyo... I wouldn't... really mind if we... went to get ice cream together sometime..." Tart muttered, looking away from the blonde girl.

Pudding perked up right away. "Do you mean it?" She squealed.

Tart still refused to look at her. "Of course I mean it!" He shouted, his face flushing a bright pink.

Pudding couldn't contain her excitement anymore; she pounced on him. Doing so caused them both to fall into the water, with Pudding laughing and Tart giving a shout of surprise.

Sputtering, and crushed by Pudding sprawling on top of him, Tart mustered a glare. "What the hells did you do that for, you stupid girl-!" He was cut off when Pudding mashed her lips against his. His eyes widened in shock, and he remained frozen even as she pulled away.

Pudding smiled at him. "Taruto and Pudding are going to be friends for ever, na no da!" She shouted gleefully as she hugged him tightly around the middle.

And just for once, Tart couldn't find anything to complain about.

_Fin~_


End file.
